CASTLE SEASON 5 kinda
by SeeYouInTheFall70
Summary: CASTLE SEASON 5 - kinda - Post Always - Ch.1: 501: All ways to the end Part 1 - Ch. 2: 502: Always darkest before dawn Part 2 - NEW STORY: 503: Kevin - COMING NEXT: 504: From far away - 505: Dollmen - Thanks to those who read, favor, follow and review.
1. Chapter 1 501 : All ways to the end

**All ways to the end - part 1**

They stayed in each other's arms for a while. Her head was resting on his chest and he could hear her breathe slowly. He wanted to talk, needed to. He was happy that she was here with him, that she had come but he didn't know how to construe all that had happened. She had not told him what he really expected: she had not told him that she loved him. He knew she was not the kind to express how she felt. But what! He needed to hear it! Even if he actually knew how she felt, or thought he did. This woman will just drive him crazy at some point! She said she was sorry but he was not even sure about what. That she went after the sniper? That she had not answered appropriately while he poured his heart out to her?

"Kate?" He murmured.

But she was already asleep, her breathing regular now. Knowing her, he could surmise that she had had a hard day going after this man. He had seen the bruises on her skin. He embraced her more tightly but softly. He needed to know what had really happen with that man too. He had not asked too much because he understood that what she needed was not a long talk. Now it was him who was in need. And he could but just stay there with his questions for the time being. This will have to wait until tomorrow. He fell asleep without realizing.

As Kate woke up, her eyes still closed, she could smell the scent of his cologne and could not help having a smile on her face. That kind of smile saying: "I had this dream before and I loved it: to wake up next to Castle!" She wanted to enjoy it once again. She had this dream so many times these last months as she tried not to give in to her feelings for him, knowing that she was not ready to have the kind of relationship that in fact both of them hoped for. Her eyes slowly opened: as usual all this seemed so real to her. But she was not dreaming this time. Her heart bit faster: "It is real!"

Kate raised herself to lean on one elbow and her smile broadened as she looked at Castle peacefully asleep next to her. She stayed there staring at him and thinking about how things had happened last night. She was amazed at her boldness at that time. But she was determined not to wait again to be with him. She had let so many opportunities slip away. She knew now how much her behavior had hurt him. This had become so clear when he had talked to her in her flat. About how he had been there for her for four years, and all that time he was hoping for things to change and that he would become more than a partner for her. She had felt his suffering then, and it had hurt her to the heart when she had seen tears come to his eyes. Her heart had overflowed with love for him then. But she was so caught up in pursuing Cole Maddox and she had felt so betrayed by what Castle had done that she could not help but hurt him again, as if she wanted to retaliate.

At a point she had thought that if she could catch this man and close definitively this case that hindered her life for so long that all the walls would fall and finally she would be free. Free to love Castle and let him love her. But then the way he had asked her what had happened she understood that that would not have worked for him. Rick needed to know that her love for him was more important than her resentment against those who killed her mother. She was happy she had made the right choice in the end.

Alexis opened the front door and looked for her father in the living room. But there was nobody. She went to the kitchen and he was not there either; apparently he had not had breakfast or there would have been, for sure, some dirty dishes in the sink. She headed to her father's bedroom.

A sigh went through Kate's lips as she could not prevent herself from letting her hand gently stroke his jaw. She kissed his shut eyelid, where the tears had swell, then the other and his lips. "Kate…" Rick said. She suddenly moved back as she was afraid to wake him up. But he was sound asleep and she smiled at the fact that in his sleep he was thinking of her. If she wanted a proof that he thought of no other than her then she had it.

"Dad, are you up?" Alexis yelled behind the door.

Kate started to panic. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she had not heard the front door open.

"Dad? I'll prepare lunch. Or better, brunch since you're not out of bed yet!"

"Lunch?" Kate whispered. "Castle! Castle!"

Alexis went to open the door to ask him what he wanted for lunch; but she suddenly turned back to the kitchen. "I think I'll bring him coffee first to help him up!" She put some coffee to brew in the machine and leant against the bar waiting.

"Castle!... Rick!" Kate called a little bit louder close to his ear.

"Hum! Kate?!" He answered when he finally woke up. He instantly checked out his wrist.

She muffled a laugh:

"No cuff this time and no drug either" she said still smiling. Half asleep, he smiled back blissfully.

As he was about to kiss her, she quickly added. "But I think your daughter is back."

"What?! Wait… Wait here! I'll be right back! Don't move." he mumbled as he suddenly stumbled out of the bed and put on a morning gown.

"I didn't intend to." She replied coyly.

He turned back and looked at her, an eyebrow raised.

Alexis went to the fridge and took two eggs, cream and some spices. She watched the cup of coffee. "This is getting cold!" She took the cup and headed again to the bedroom. Rick half-opened the door, slipped out just as Alexis was about to open it and quickly closed behind him.

"Hey… honeyyy… What… are you doing?" He said mildly while showing her back to the kitchen.

"Brunch! I told you. You are not totally awake aren't you? What did you do last night to be so tired? Watched dvds till the break of dawn?"

"Euh…."

The muffled noise of something falling in the bedroom was heard.

"Dad is there somebody in there?! A woman?"

"Euuuuh!" Rick was embarrassed.

"I haven't left for college yet and you're already going wild?!"

"Alexis…."

"No, no I don't want to know. I'm going to Debbie's. I'll be back for six. Ok?... Ok dad?"

"Ok!"

"I thought things were getting better for Beckett and you." Alexis mumbled shaking her head while hastily leaving.

Once Alexis had left, Richard went back to the bedroom. He saw Kate lasciviously lying on the bed. His heart started to bit faster as he stopped and just stared at her. He pulled himself together and a smile came to his lips:

"What were you doing in there to make such a noise?" He asked

"Sorry, I could not see the clock very well." She blushed.

Castle headed to the bed and suddenly let himself fall on it, at her feet, looking at her.

"Are you ok?" He said gently

"Han han. You?"

"Never better."

Kate got out of the bed and he saw she was wearing one of his pajama top. She tugged at one end of the collar. "I found this, I hope you don't mind?"

"Oh not at allllllllll." His eyes wandered over her legs that showed provocatively from the cloth. "You're really too sexy with it."

"Castle!" She sent a pillow at him.

"Would you like something to eat? I Think Alexis started to cook but she had to suddenly leave. I wonder why?"

She rolled her eyes. "I'd like something to eat but I'm going to the bathroom first."

"You want help?"

"No thanks! I don't want Alexis to come back and have to leave again."

"Ok!" Rick went to the kitchen.

When in the kitchen, Castle turned on his phone and saw that he had a message from Ryan, from last night:

"Hey Castle, it's Ryan. I tried to call you all day but you'd not answer. What the hell is going on? Why were you not there with us? We really needed you, especially Beckett. Do you know she nearly died and all she was doing was calling your name bro? She really need you now man, more than ever. She and Esposito had been put on administrative leave but she resigned! I think she's in a real turmoil. Call me back ok? I can't have her either. You're the only one to make her come back to her senses and change her mind."

Rick could feel the angst and the sadness in Ryan's voice but he was not sure of what he should do right now. He was not sure that he should be the one to initiate that subject with Kate or just wait for her to confide in him. He knew they would have to discuss about all that. He did not want her to feel like he was deciding for her again.

Hearing this message, he felt ill at ease though. He did not really know how to interpret what happened between him and Kate. Was she really ready for what had happened or was she just trying to fill some kind of emptiness, was it just on the spur of the moment? He decided to wait; perhaps she will talk about all that without his asking.

As he heard the shower turned off, he took the eggs Alexis had left there and started to cook, humming, he did not want her to know how worried he was. Kate entered the kitchen with a bathrobe she had found and that was too big for her. She sat behind the counter.

"Soooooooo. When are we going to pick up your things?" Rick asked suddenly, still cooking, his back turned to her so she could not see the smile on his face.

Kate looked at him with interrogative eyes, and after a while:

"What do you mean?"

"You're moving in with me don't you?"

"What?! No Rick! I'm not moving in with you!" She answered with surprise and restrained amusement in her voice.

"Whyyyyyyyy?" He turned around.

"And what are you going to do with your mom?"

"Well when she'll come back from the Hampton, and see you here I guess she'll find a place of her own." He grinned.

She shook her head:

"So you're using me to push your mom out of your flat?"

"Well, all means are good!" He said setting a plate in front of her.

Kate started to eat then suddenly spat what she was eating.

"Castle! What's that?"

"My specialty. Smorelette. Omelette with marshmallow. You don't like it?" He wondered, pretending to be offended.

"No!" She answered briefly. "Where did you get this recipe from anyway?"

"I created it" he replied proudly. "But if you want we can go for something more common since your palate is not used to "cuisine gastronomique". Pancakes, scrambled eggs, bacon and toasts?"

"Thanks!" She answered ironically. "No use escaping death from a sniper if you have to kill me with your food" she added smiling. But he was not. He sat silently just in front of her to eat too.

He suddenly stopped as he thought of last night. He was worried as he remembered what she had told him. He could not help thinking about this sniper still out there, still a threat he was sure. He could not understand that he had gone away just like that. What was in his mind? It did not seem that it was just a clearing job as Smith had told him. Would he stop because Kate had?

She saw Rick sitting looking straight ahead of him, lost in his thoughts, he seemed so serious.

"Hey!" she said with a tender voice, looking at him intensely. "Are you ok?"

"I was thinking…." his voice was like numb.

She started to be afraid. Almost felt like tears were coming to her eyes. She hated the way she felt! She knew this would happen! She was being just too emotional now. She kept silent lowering down her eyes.

"Have you regrets about what happened last night?" Her voice was slightly trembling.

"Oh Kate! No!" He took her hand. "I was just thinking."

"Thinking about what?" she was still a little bit afraid.

"You told me this guy got away and that you almost died…"

"Yes but that's not important anymore. I'm giving up. I won't go after him. It's really finished Rick."

"Kate, I'm afraid it's not. Why would he get away now? Why would he let you live? Why did he steal Montgmery's old files? What was he looking for?"

She stood up and paced the room, thinking.

"Cole Maddox took a picture in Montgomery's wedding album. " Castle gave a puzzled frown. "It's the sniper's fake I.D." She explained. "I think Montgomery's old friend was on that picture and that he's looking for him."

"If he's looking for this Mr Smith, that means that he wants the files and once he has them you won't be protected anymore."

"Rick, I thought you didn't want me to investigate. While I was hanging from this roof….."

"What!" He interrupted her "What do you mean hanging from a roof?!"

"I was so close to death; I finally understood what you meant." She kept on. "What we have now, what we are living now is far more important to me. I don't want to lose that by running after this man."

"It is for me too, Kate. Do you really think that I don't want to preserve what we have?! But I'm sure that when he will have the information he will come back for you. We need to find Smith before him."

She seemed to flinch each time he pronounced the name. Obviously it was something they will have to talk about also. Rick held back a sigh at the thought.

"But how are we going to do that? You don't even know how to get in touch with him." Kate asked.

"We go back to Montgomery's house and we ask his wife. We'll try to find what picture is missing and who was on it."

"Castle, are you sure you want to do that?"

"I'm going to help you Kate. I'm the one who put you in there; I'm going to help you out. It's the only way to keep you safe now. Let's go!"

"Can we stop at my place on the way?"

"Sure."

After they left Kate's place, they went directly at Montgomery's house. Kate had called from the car and Evelyn was already waiting for them.

"Hey Evelyn. How are you doing since the last time?" Kate inquired.

"Much better since you've found the intruder."

"Evelyn" Kate went on, "The robber has stolen your wedding album. Do you have copies of the pictures?"

"No but I still have the exposures."

Kate went through the exposures one after the other.

"Castle, the picture he has taken was one of those who have taken part in the ceremony. This one! I don't remember I have seen it."

"It's the best man!" They said together. Their faces lit up knowingly.

"Evelyn what's this man's name? Do you know his address?" Kate inquired.

"It's Greg, Greg Mc Alistair, one of Roy's oldest and best friends. He lives on the fifth av."

In the car, as they were going to Mc Alistair's, they kept quiet for a moment. Each one not really daring to voice what they thought. Castle finally broke the silence.

"Do you think he got the documents?"

"I don't know." Her face was tense. "Since we have his real name and his address and don't have to look for it, we might be on time to stop Maddox."

When they arrived at the fifth avenue, it was rather calm. "Maddox had probably not found the address yet." They went quickly to the bell but the sound was only ringing out inside an empty place. Castle went at the side to check through the window, cupping his hand to see well. In the meantime, Beckett started to knock at the door which half opened.

"It's open." She took her gun.

"You have a gun?"

"Yes my spare one, I took it when we stopped at my place."

They entered the house but it did not seem like it had been searched. There were some files open and papers scattered over a desk in the back of another room, apparently an office. It seemed to Kate that it was the files that were in Maddox' room so she quickly got to the piece of furniture. Hoping to find something helpful she rummage in them but the papers had nothing to do with her mom's murder or her shooting and the files were empty. She went then to the computer that was on; everything had been erased. While Kate was desperately searching, Castle walked around the desk; there he found Mc Allistair lying on the floor. "Kate." "It seems that he has been tortured" Kate who had met him said. He crouched to take his pulse then shook his head to let Kate know that Mc Allistair was dead. "He has a needle mark…." Castle was standing up when Mc Allistair grabbed his collar and started to murmur in his hear. "I'm calling 911" Kate said. But when she was dialing he let go of Castle. The latter leant closer to Mc Allistair's nose to check if he was breathing, that's when he saw the bomb under the desk. "Kate run! There's a bomb." He grabbed something next to the corpse put it in his pocket and started to run too.

Castle was just at the door when the explosion pushed him violently in the street.

"Rick!" Kate shouted. In a few seconds she was by his side. "Rick!" But he was not moving. Her hands were trembling as she held the phone to her ear to call an ambulance.

It seemed an eternity while waiting for the ambulance to arrive. All she could think about was that it was her fault. Had she not be obstinate on this case this would not have happened. She might lose someone she loved once again. It was one of the reasons why it had been so difficult for her to admit what she felt for Castle. She won't be able to bear another loss like that, of someone that was so important for her now. She won't… Tears were swelling from her eyes, but she did not feel them.

From his car Maddox was looking at Kate crouched next to Castle. "Well it seems that I'm quite lucky today! Detective Beckett!" He grabbed his rifle and set it on his shoulder, took aim. Beckett was right in his target. He knew he could have her despite the wind.

Kate heard the whistling of the bullet next to her ear. She felt the blood running along her neck and her heart stopped. She fell on Castle's body. This time he had got her, but she did not care she was just thinking about Castle: What if he was seriously injured?! What would she do without him? She brought her hand to her temple, blood was dripping. Was she just wounded? He missed her. But he will try again soon. She lifted her head watched everywhere. He had a silencer and she could not see him. Where was he?

Maddox got out of his car. He had missed her; apparently he had overestimated his abilities. But he still had the time; the ambulance she called would not be there before at least five minutes with the traffic. He walked until he reached a better shooting spot. There were many bushes there, so he could not be seen however Smith's front door was still within view.

Castle started to move and Kate startled. She exhaled a sigh of relieve: "He's fine! He's fine!" at least that was what she hoped. Kate slightly raised to look down at him. He was opening his eyes. "Don't move." She murmured, searching for any sign indicating the sniper's presence. In the distance, the ambulance siren was wailing when she heard the second shot. She got a sarcastic smile on her face: "Two shots were better in order not to reiterate the error of the last time?" Lying on Castle she tried to sense if she had been hit. But she felt nothing: "Sometimes that happens it's only few seconds after that you feel the pain."

"Kate? "Castle was trying to move and she stared at him, surprised and still shocked at the same time. "Kate, we have to leave."

"But the ambulance is coming" She mumbled.

Rick rose to sit down, holding Kate in his arms. "We don't have time for that."

She stayed there looking at him, not knowing what to say or what to do. For he was right: they were running out of time, now that Smith was dead.

"Ok ok. But I think he's somewhere out there. He shot at me."

"The ambulance probably made him flee. Let's go."

They stood up and run around the corner of the house, where they could not be seen. Taking Kate's hand, Rick beckoned to a passing cab. Come, we're going back to my place."

"Why… why are we going back to your place?"

"You'll see. Now that all the proofs have been destroyed nothing can prevent him from killing you. We have to react faster than him." She looked at him, worried.

"What did Mc Allistair told you just before the explosion?"

"Nothing comprehensible. I think he was under the influence. He talked about a message, about Montgomery... But wait." Fumbling in his pocket he took of a phone. "I found that next to him." He started to dial to search the phone.

"The last number is mine. But I didn't get any call!" He took his phone to check. "No call."

"He probably tried to call you but hadn't enough strength left."

"The marks on his wrists, he had been tied for a long time. And the needle mark on his forearm. Do you think Maddox got him to talk? With pentothal?"

"Probably Rick, he has been tortured".

They kept silent during the rest of the travel.

As they got off the taxi, Castle phone rang:

"Hi Alexis!... You're sure? You don't have to….. Ok I'll see you then." He turned to Kate." Alexis went to the loft to take some clothes; she's going to stay in the Hampton with my mom for some days. She said she wanted to spend time with her gram before leaving for college; but I think she wanted more to leave me some freedom. Anyway that's a good thing with what's going on."

"Yeah."

When at his place he led her to his office.

"You know I have a board of my own?"

"Yes the one you use for your novel?"

"Kate, I have one with all the information I've gathered on your mother's case." He hesitated not knowing how she would react.

"What?!" She said with a small voice. "Why did you never tell me about that?"

"There're things on it you don't know about; mostly coming from Montgomery's friend. He looked intently at her.

"Rick….. Do you keep any other secrets from me? If it's the case, I think you should tell me now."

"No, Kate. I don't hide anything else from you."

"Ok." She briefly answered then kept silent. "Fine. Show me what you have."

"If we review it together something might pop I had not seen."

While Castle was restoring the file, Kate phone rang again:

"It's Espo... Beckett!"

"Yo Beckett. Are you with Castle?"

"Yes, but..."

"Where? I need to talk to you"

"We're at his loft. But Javi..." All the while she kept her eyes on Rick.

"You're on a lead? I know you two, that's it? I'm coming."

"Javi, I don't want to put you in more trouble that I've already." Castle stared at her in an interrogative way; she looked away.

"I'm in this with you Beckett!" Esposito answered. "You can't turn me away. You'll need all the help."

She turned to Castle, who had already caught on and was nodding at her.

"Ok, Espo you can come. Your help will be more than useful."

She hung up in apprehension. She was aware that Castle would ask what she didn't really want to answer to. From his gaze, she knew he understood how she felt.

"Kate you can't put off everything just because that suits you. What happened with Espo? In what kind of trouble did you put him in?"

"Gates put both of us on administrative leave. When I was about to fall from the roof, she was there with Ryan when he came to help me..." After a while she added. "And I resigned..."

He kept silent for a moment then:

"Ok" He just answered. Time was urging anyway it was not time for long talks. "Can we just go back to this board and see what we can find while waiting for Espo?"

"Ok". She scrutinized the board before noting with a nervous smile. "You don't really have much more than what I have on mine."

"Well, we would not be here if it had been the case." He kept his eyes on the board, shifting the screen from time to time by touching it. While doing so he realized he had a message. He did not know the sender but something told him he had to open it right away.

"Kate!" He panted in surprise. "It's from Mr Smith!"

"What?!"

"He probably sent this just before his death; knowing it was close."

Kate got closer to the screen while Castle was opening the file. It was an audio recording. "Mr Castle if you receive this mail that means that something really bad had happened to me. I didn't want to get you directly involved but I have no choice now. I think you should inform detective Beckett. You will need help and it seems that you make up a very efficient team." They looked at each other. "I've scanned and mailed all the information that Roy sent me. I'm sure you'll make a good use of it. Now be very very careful. You'll find out that the person you're dealing with is extremely powerful and even more dangerous. I'm really sorry I could not help more."

"I can't believe it." Kate said in a low voice.

"There's all the information Montgomery had sent him."

"So this is it." Her heart was pounding in her chest. She was so close now.

"What are we going to do Kate? We can release all the information to the press?"

After pondering for a while, she answered: "Castle, do you realize that if we do that, we will inevitably implicate Montgomery?!"

"True". He didn't add anything; he was just watching the board.

"Castle, are you ok?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just tired, I think.

"Because of the explosion?"

"Or something else…"

She looked at him with loving eyes, giving a hint of a smile then back at the screen.

"So this is the man behind all this? Deputy Anderson!"

"I understand now why everybody was so afraid. He's a very powerful man Kate!"

"I'm not afraid of him."

"I know you aren't Kate." He was starting to be afraid. Afraid that she would let herself be overcome again by her desire of revenge. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know…"

He was relieved. She apparently kept her head cool. He let go of a sigh.

She turned to him as he did so. She understood how he felt. She stood up and came next to him, her shoulder against his. She gave him a small kiss on the cheek. "We said we're going to do this together and we're going to. No going on my own anymore. If you want us to stop here we will".

He was about to answer when they heard the knock at the door.

"It's probably Espo." She said with interrogative eyes.

"We keep on with this Kate; we have more than we had before." He told her going to the door to open it.

"So guys what do you have?" Espo asked the door hardly open.

"We know who is behind all this." Kate answered.

"How?" Espo was a bit surprised that they cracked it so easily and so fast.

"You remember the man Cole Maddox was looking for?"

He nodded.

"Montgomery had sent him all the information about my mother's murder."

"What?! And how did you get them?"

"It's a long story. But now we know who this man is and we don't know how to get him without involving Montgomery."

"Maddox is not a threat anymore." Esposito suddenly stated.

"What? What do you mean" Kate asked.

"I shot him Beckett. He's dead."

"How…?"

"I've been following you since you left the precinct. I knew he would try again."

"You followed me?"

"Don't worry your secret's safe with me." Esposito regarded them with a reassuring expression. "What's that?" He added watching at the screen.

"Castle's personal board."

"The one you use for your books?"

"Yes. We need to find something to catch the man and get rid of him without compromising Roy." Castle said. "That kind of man, with all he has as means of coercion, is probably involved in many other affairs."

"We should go back to Smith's and see if we can find something." Kate suggested.

"It's probably full of cops by now." Esposito pointed out. "And if he sent all the information what do expect to find there?"

"I don't know Espo, something he didn't have time to put in the mail or some evidence Maddox might have left there. We should try anyway. Let's go. Castle you stay here."

"No way."

"Rick..."

"Kate, you're becoming overprotective."

"No I'm not!" Then she saw that Castle and Eposito were looking at each other, smiling.

"Too cute!" Esposito teased. " Rick, hun?"

"Javi... Don't start that. Ok Castle, I've never been able to make you listen to me anyway."

Castle put out his fingers so that Esposito could hit them. But the latter shook his head:

"No bro I'm not taking side. It's too delicate now."

Kate was already at the door.

"You're coming you two or what? She frowned.

Once there, they saw that the firemen as well as the police were still there.

"See." Esposito met them at their car.

"We'll wait until they leave." Kate said.

They waited for almost half an hour.

"Did you search Maddox' corpse?" Kate suddenly asked Esposito.

"Of course but I found nothing."

"And the place where you shot him?"

"No. You really think we can find something there?"

"We must try everything. The cops have probably already left there. They must be busy with Smith's house."

They searched everywhere. It was not easy to find anything in this place. The spot Maddox had chosen was full of bushes. But that was understandable since he didn't want to be seen.

"Yo Beckett. I'm sorry but there's nothing here." Esposito said. "Perhaps the cops collected all the evidence."

"Ok, ok. Let's think things over again... How did he get from his motel to Smith's?" Kate asked.

"I don't know when I located him he was on foot."

"But he probably has a car parked somewhere."

"I don't think he kept the same car since we've gps tracked him. But wait if he saw you at Smith's place, his car is probably not far. But he was not in a good enough place to shoot. I think I know where he might have been. Let's go."

They walked back up the alley in front of Smith's house, trying not to be seen.

"I think it's the break over there; the brown one. Wait here I'll check."

When Esposito came back he had a phone in his hand. "It was the car; it was open but had not been searched. It's a prepaid phone. He didn't want his calls to be traced."

Castle snached the phone from Esposito's hand and started to dial.

"Castle?" Kate fretted.

"Just checking the call history. There's no number."

"We need to search the chip." Esposito suggested. "But we don't have the material for that."

"I know a guy who can help us." Castle said.

"You know a guy for everything Castle?" Kate quipped.

"Well, yes detective Beckett I have contacts in all domains. If you want to write novels that are believable and interesting you have to."

Castle fumbled in his pocket for his phone and called his contact.

In the mean time, Esposito talk apart to Kate.

"Beckett, you'll have to go back on your resignation if we have to investigate a new case."

"You're right Javi."

"Well, that won't be easy for you hun?! To have to talk to Gates."

She made a face at him.

"Except that we're still on administrative leave and we can't afford to blow it again."

Castle hanged up:

"He's not answering. We're stuck."

"We can go to his place." Espo suggested.

"It's not working like that."

"Castle, you're friend is not involved in illegal activities like hacking, is he?" Kate raised an eyebrow.

"Euuuuuuuuuuuh. You don't want to know. Wait I'll send him the phone number and I'll try to contact him again later. He can probably find something in the mean time."

"Well, it's getting late anyway." Esposito observed. "I think that can wait until tomorrow."

"Yeah and I must say that I'm a bit tired." Castle rubbed his forehead.

"Headache bro?" Espo asked

"Yep."

"See you then, guys." Esposito headed to his car.

"You're staying with me tonight?" Castle asked Kate." It's more secure."

She nodded.

"We'll stop at my place on the way, to pick up some things."

They just finished dinner and sat next to each other on the couch.

"What?" Kate asked as Castle was silently gazing at her.

"I think we need to talk."

"About?"

"About this roof thing and your resignation."

"What about that?"

"It seems like you made some emotional decisions yesterday."

"You're talking about my resignation?"

"Yeaaaah….. It's just not like you Kate. You love this job. It has meant more for you than just your mom's case."

"You're right" she answered him surprisingly. "I'll have to swallow my pride to go back to Gates" she added with a small smile.

"You agree that you've been emotional?"

"Yeah, yeah, that's what you think too, no?!"

"Yeah and…." He could not dare saying what was in his mind.

"And what?" She was intrigued.

"About us, about coming to me…." He finally let go.

"So what about us Rick?"

"Have you been emotional too?"

"No Rick." She took his hand and brought it to her lips, kissing it. "Certainly there was some kind of emotion in my decision to go to your flat last night. I'm sure you must have been really surprised." She let go a small laugh. "But it's because I didn't want to lose you. I know I've hurt you before. I realized how much only when we talked the day before. I didn't intend to…"

"Kate….."

"No!" She put a finger on his lips. "I was concentrated on myself; about, how I felt and getting the walls down that I had not realized how much all this longing and my lie had made you suffer. I've been so stubborn, letting you leave and going after this sniper even after you poured your heart to me. If I had died there; you would've never known how much I do care about you because I had not told you. Do you forgive me?"

"I do. I've already done so. And you….? Do you forgive me?"

She kept silent for a while, knowing perfectly what he was talking about, though he could not express it aloud. She knew also that she was not totally ok with that as he had probably guessed too.

"You manipulated me Castle." Her voice was low as if she was trying not to let resentment and anger get over her. "I really want us to be together, to build something true. But I need to know that I can trust you…."

"I….."

"I forgive you Castle. I know you were afraid for me. I understand you wanted to protect me. But what I don't want to ever happen again is that you decide for me, especially for such important things. What you feel for me doesn't give you the right to decide for my life."

"Ok Kate, I understand. I promise you that that will never happen again. And…. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I made the wrong decision by not talking to you about all this and taking part in it." He stopped then went on. "But Kate…!" He could not stand it anymore." What I feel for you Kate? I love you Kate! That's what I feel for you!" His voice softens. "Why is it so difficult for you to admit that you feel the same for me?"

She lowered her head and stayed silent for a while before answering.

"I'm not used to this, sentimental outpourings. I don't like to feel weak, to lose control on things…."

He put a finger under her chin and raised her head. "That's how you make me feel."

"You seem to manage it better than I do… I'm not used to that and I must say that I don't like that either"

"You don't trust me? I've made everything possible to show you that you can. What else can I do? Tell me Kate."

He kept silent looking at her.

"Nothing."

He seemed hurt. She took his hands in hers.

"There's nothing else you can do. Because you're right, you've done everything. And I… I like you Rick… You know how much…" Her voice faltered. "I don't want to be overwhelmed. If I lose control I can be prey to being hurt at any moment. It's not that I don't trust you..."

"So what?"

She shook her head. "You can't assure me that you'll never hurt me; even if you try very hard not to."

"No Kate I can't." He smiled. "All I can assure you of is that I do love you. And because I do, yes, I'll always do my best not to hurt you."

"I know Rick, I know." She took his face between her hands and kissed his lips. "I love you."

He kissed her back slowly, tenderly. "You know what?"

"What?"

"I hope you'll have many other reasons to make yourself forgiven. I just loooooooove the way you have to make yourself forgiven! Last night was just amazing!"

She suddenly grabbed his nose. "Apple, apple." She pulled away to look at him.

"That was not my asking for forgiveness. But showing you how much I love you. And I'm pretty sure I'll have many other opportunities to show you!"

"Hmmmmmmmm! I savour the prospect!"

She sat there next to him, her legs on his lap. She was playing with his fingers. They kept silent, just enjoying the presence of each other.

"We can probably watch these Woo movies now?" Rick said.

"Who?" she answered absently

"Not who!" Rick smiled. "Woo, John Woo. You remember you told me, you'd like to watch the double feature."

"Did I? In fact I don't really know John Woo's work."

"What?!" He startled. "What about the "bloodier, the better"?"

"Castle, you forget that I'm a trained detective and I've known you for four years now. I know the kind of movies you like."

"I don't understand" he said, an eyebrow rose.

"It's just that you've been so shy and precocious with me lately. I thought you needed some encouragement."

"You fooled me?!"

"Well, I had to."

He burst into a laugh and took her in his arms: "I didn't want to push but just let you the time. I thought you'd let me know when you're ready."

"I let you know."

"So… Do you want to watch these movies? You might become a fan?

"In fact…. I had other plans." She said coyly.

"You really don't like John Woo then?" He said gently, getting closer and kissing her. He stood up and hold a hand to her. But he suddenly staggered. He fell on the ground.

"Rick! Rick!"

She shook him lightly on his shoulder. He did not move. The explosion had probably hurt him more seriously than they thought. She was really afraid know. She took her phone to call 911.

**ALSO READ: Ch.2 : 502: Always darkest before the dawn _ Part 2**


	2. Chapter 2 502 : Always darkest before

Always darkest before the dawn_part 2

Kate was sitting on an armchair, her head resting on the back. She could not stand the wait anymore. The doctors had left for hours for the exams and she could not get anything from the nurse that was coming from time to time to check on Rick. All she could tell her is that they had to wait. She was waiting but still nothing. Rick had not waked up and his condition had not changed either. She was worried. She knew commotion could be serious. Why did that had to happen now? Now that they were finally together. He had followed her for four years and had never been hurt. So why now? Had this new relationship led them to be less careful? She stood up and get closer to him, staring to see if there was the slightest change. Something in the movement of his eyes or the way he breathed. She even looked at the monitor as if she knew anything about that. Seeing no change, she sighed and sat in the chair that was there.

When Castle woke up it was late in the night, almost dawn. Kate was sitting on a chair next to his bed, her head bent gazing at the floor, her hands clasped on her knees.

"Kate?"

She lifted her head and got closer. "Rick! You're finally up. How do you feel?"

"A little giddy and numb. What happened?"

"Your commotion was more important than we thought. I should have let them bring you to the hospital…. I thought I had lost you….. I don't know what I would have done."

"Kate…."

"All this is really too dangerous. I can't let you be involved in it. And I know that you won't let go, you won't let go if you stay with me."

"Kate, you're not leaving are you?"

"I'm staying. I won't leave until the doctors tell me you're ok."

"No, that's not what I meant. You're going to stay with me? You won't flee anymore?"

She kept silent.

"Kate!"

"No, no I won't."

"Great. Because if you do, you'll break my heart." He smiled faintly.

"Rick….. I'm staying, I won't leave you."

"I can't live without you anymore. You know that, don't you?"

"I….. I can't live without you either."

He held out his hand to her, his eyes in hers. She stood up to sit on the bed. She stroked his cheek lightly with her hand.

"I love you Rick."

He took her in his arms and kissed her. She tenderly kissed him back.

"I called your mother. She'll soon be there with Alexis."

"You shouldn't have called, I'm fine."

"Yes I should, they needed to know."

While they were still talking, a doctor came in.

"You're up Mr Castle. You really frightened us you know, as well as this young lady. We had to make some exams to dismiss any complications. After radiography and a scan we can say that everything is ok but we'll have to keep you under observation for at least 12 more hours. You need to rest too, so..."

The door suddenly fling open and Alexis run into the room, followed by Martha.

"Dad! What happened? Are you ok?"

"Yes honey I'm ok." He took her in his arms.

"Hi darling." Martha hugged Kate. "Thanks for calling."

"Hi Martha. It was the least I could do." Then to Rick. "I'm going to leave you." She took her coat from the chair and put it on. "You need to spend time with your family. I'm going home to have some rest. I have a long day waiting for me at the precinct."

"Ok." Castle sat up on the bed. "I'll see you later?"

"Yes." She headed to the door and turned back to smile at Rick who was looking at her leaving.

Castle turned to Martha who was watching them.

"So you had to cut short to your stay in the Hampton..."

Later, in the morning, Kate was in Gates' office to take her resignation back.

"Well detective Beckett, I thought I'd never see you again."

"Sir, I made a mistake."

"Yes detective. You can really be too emotional sometimes; what's surprising for a good cop like you. But I guess we all remain human after all."

Meanwhile, in the hospital, Mayor Weldon entered Rick's room. "Hey Ricky what happened to you? You were fooling around again?" But as Castle demeanor remained grave, what was totally unlike him even in some serious occasions, Mayor Weldon expressed more concern. "What's wrong?"

"Thanks for coming Robert. I'm fine now as for the physical part. But I wanted to talk to you about something very important and confidential."

"Ok go on." Weldon answered while sitting in front of Rick's bed.

If there was one thing Kate did not like, it was lecturing. But she had to bear it now from Gates; at least, if she wanted to be back soon at work.

"I'm glad that you're coming back on your decision detective Beckett. As much as I wanted you to understand the gravity of what you've done and mark my point you're one of my best detectives! I didn't want to lose one of our best assets in the 12th."

"Thank you sir..." She started to answer.

But as Gates' phone rang, Kate let out a discreet sigh, the breather would be short but it was better than nothing. Unfortunately her so appreciated rest was about to be painful; it was the Mayor calling. "I need detective Beckett and her team to go back to an old case, we have new leads on."

"She's actually on administrative leave Sir, as well as detective Esposito."

Gates was looking at her in a reproachful way now. Exactly the way she would look at Castle or at her if he was around. What now? Was she talking about her?

"Well suspend the decision then."

"But Mister Mayor, we have many other competent detectives here."

Ok Beckett got it this time. Castle was surely behind this. She could not believe that Rick had call upon his friend in her favour. She'll kill him as soon as she'll get her gun back! Even if he was already at the hospital because he nearly died and she actually freaked out about that.

"I've heard Beckett was the best, and I want the best. Furthermore, she was the one who was already on the case. We'll find another alternative to the leave later. Can you ask her to come to my office?"

"Yes your honour." Gates hung up.

"Well detective Beckett, it seems that your friend Castle has used of his influence again!"

"Sir?"

"You're not on administrative leave anymore."

Kate raised an eyebrow.

"The mayor needs you to deal with an old case. It seems he has new leads. You must go to his office right away."

"Yes sir."

On her way to the Mayor's office, Kate decided to pop in the hospital to see Rick. She was curious about what he was up to again. Entering the room, she met the Mayor about to leave.

"Good morning detective Beckett. I just called your captain!"

"I know sir I was there." She shook his held out hand.

"I'll see you at my office then." He said before heading to the door.

"So Gates was right you asked him to reinstate me?! You're aware that I'll have some real bad times with her now?"

"I'm sorry Kate but I could not do otherwise. I'm sure you could manage this anyway but..."

As they were talking Josh Davidson walked pass the door and Castle abruptly stopped. Ok, that was no good memory for him. He'll just try to repress it while motorcycle boy goes his way. What he didn't do of course.

"Hey Kate! Am I interrupting?" Josh was looking from Kate to Castle.

"Hey Josh. No. Not at all."

Castle was happy to hear Josh's beeper alarm and see the latter go in the hall to check it.

"How embarrassing!" Rick said lowly.

Kate, with restrained amusement, gave him a little pat on his shoulder with the back of her hand.

"Stop it! You're not!"

"No I'm not!" He had a large grin on his face. After all he was the one who was with her now.

Shaking her head Kate glanced at the door. Josh had finished checking his beeper.

"I have to go." He said showing the beeper. "It was nice to see you again Kate."

"Me too Josh."

"Castle."

"Josh."

When Josh left, Castle turned slowly towards Kate.

"You too?!"

"So why did you call Mayor Weldon?"

"I have new leads concerning you know who."

"What lead?! You got your friend about the phone?"

"No. But do you remember that case the Mayor was involved in? The murder of the girl working as a sex operator?"

"Yeah?"

"Smith had called me about this case."

"Really? What does this case have to do with my mom's?"

"I don't really know. Smith called me at a time during this case. I tried to find out how it was linked to your mother's but in vain. It seemed that an influent man was involved in this case and I thought it might be the same deputy. Since Smith called me about it, it was necessarily about your protection. If we can solve this case, we'll finally catch this man. That's why I had to talk to the Mayor first because he's involved and he was the only one to be able to cancel the administrative leave. What did Gates say?"

"Not much. But I could see she was furious. I'm sure she'll find another sanction anyway. Do you really think the same man's behind this? It was supposed to involve a powerful New Yorker like in my mother's case. We should dig more, Rick. We might find something that will lead to his fall without implying Montgomery."

"Don't you think he might threaten us to do so, to keep us silent?"

"No, he wouldn't want to be charged for more by talking about that case. On the contrary he'd prefer to bury it."

"Kate…. We can do that but do you realize that he won't pay for your mother's murder if we do it this way."

"I know. But it's better than nothing. If it's the price to protect Montgomery's memory and family, I'm ready to do that. And…. You forget that getting revenge is far less important for me know." She smiled. "All I want to do is to stop this man and put him behind bars. I don't want to be under that threat anymore." She paused, pensive then went on. "Castle, if we solve this case, we can get rid of him once and for all."

The fact that she was ready to let Anderson be charged for something else that her mom's murder showed that she had finally put all this at rest. Both understood that.

"But we'll have to fly under the radar. He must not suspect anything this time or that would be the end of it."

"So we solve this case?"

"No..."

"What?! Why Kate? It's the only way out..."

"**I** solve this case! And you, you stay where you are until you've totally recovered."

"But I..."

"Castle! For once can you just listen to me?!"

"You're taking this detective tone now!"

"Well I have to... Are you going to stay here?"

"Ok ok! You're right."

"Really?!" She said mockingly. "Are you really listening to me? Well, that's a first. Is it our new relationship that makes you so obedient? Had I known, I'd have tried this earlier!" She gave him a kiss on his pouted lips and leaved.

When Kate went out of the room she saw Martha sitting on a chair in the hall, a coffee cup in her hand. She went and sat next to her.

"Are you ok Martha?"

"Yes, my dear. Now that I've seen Richard and know he's ok. And You?"

"I'm ok, Martha."

"So you two are together finally?"

"How did you find out?" Kate didn't try to deny it.

"I know my son and I've learned to know you too."

"Well it seems that this is not doing him any good. Look where he is because of me!"

"Richard would do anything for you."

"Yes I'm aware of that. And that's what worries me."

"Honey that's what love is about; what any real relationship is about. Carrying each other's burden."

"But he's been the only one to carry one until now."

"I guess you'll have the opportunity to do so too, one day. "

Kate forced a smile.

"I have to leave Martha. See you later."

"I'll call you to tell you how he's doing."

"Thanks Martha".

Martha was watching Kate disappear in the hall when she heard Alexis coming back from the vending machine.

"Gramm we're not going back to the Hamptons, are we? We're staying with dad?" She was frantically waving her cereal bar while talking.

"Honey, I think your father we'll be ok, you heard the doctor. He's already recovered, it was not serious. More the less, all he'll do is to rest. I don't think he needs us for that."

"But gramm I want to take care of him."

"He's a big boy; he can take care of himself. As we left in a hurry we didn't get to pack our things and put everything in order. There's no need going back just for that and come back here. Honey, you need to worry less about your father. Remember you'll soon leave for college?"

"You want us to leave him alone is that it?"

"What do you mean?"

"I know about that woman you know. When I came from my all-nighter she was there."

"Really?"

"So I was right, you know about her!" Alexis exclaimed. "It seems to be more serious than usual. Do you have an idea who she might be?"

"I think your dad will tell you about her when he'll be ready to."

"Ok. But I have a small idea."

When Kate arrived at the City Hall, Mayor Weldon was already waiting for her, some files in front of him. "Please." He beckoned the chair in front of him.

"Thanks"

"Did Rick apprise you of our case?"

"Yes sir."

"Ok. You must know that nobody apart from your captain knows that you're back in the police. Since from what Rick told me this involves someone of influence we'll have to lie low. My team is at your disposal for any question you have. They already know they'll have to be discreet and they're used to be anyway. We also have a room at your disposal with all the material needed."

"Thank you sir. We'll start with your chief of staff."

"Why my chief of staff?"

"If Jordan Norris got in touch with someone of importance it was necessarily during your campaign for governorship."

"Very well."

Kate left the office and took her phone.

"Espo, we're back to work."

"Yeah I just had a call from Gates."

"Meet me at the City Hall; I'll explain everything to you."

When Espo met Kate, they went directly to the room put at their disposal.

"That's a nice interrogation room." Esposito's eyes wandered through the room. But Kate went directly to sit at the table that was there, not paying any real attention to the decor.

"We're going to interview the chief of staff about Norris' whereabouts."

"We did that already"

"Yes, but we didn't know what we know now."

Several minutes later, they went out of the room. They were disappointed; nothing new came out from the interview with the chief of staff. It seemed nothing had eluded them during the first investigation and what they learned that was in some way new was of no use. Kate sighed. Usually she was not easily discouraged. But somewhat she despaired of finding another lead to charge Anderson. But she had one more to follow.

"Let's get in touch with Castle's friend to know what we can get from the prepaid phone."

"How do you plan to use what we'll find if we can't use it as evidence?"

"All we need is to find a way to relate both cases. If we find something on the chip it might give us a lead for the sex phone operator case."

Castle's friend was not living in a house it was more of a warehouse. They entered a room full of machines and computers, which was typical of a geek! But what was not was the fact that he could be Castle's friend. His look did not really fit. Long hair, too long. A pair of glasses too big too and that in fact always fell from his nose. But it was the typical geek look. After introducing herself and Esposito, Kate went straight to the point.

"Can you get anything from this chip?"

"The man has been very careful. He deleted all the outgoing and ingoing calls. Yet, you can't really erase anything with this new technology. There's always a way..."

"Did you find something"? Kate interrupted him.

"I can get into the call history... Hold on..." He typed on the keyboard. "Hold on..." Kate rolled her eyes. "He called only three different numbers in the last forty height hours."

"Yeeeeeeees?" She was getting impatient. Like this man was Castle's friend for a good reason after all. She got closer to the computer and pointed at the screen. "This number is Orlando Costas'. But this one; whose number is it? He called it three times and it's the last call. Can you tell us anything on this number?"

He started to type on his keyboard again.

" Hold on..." Typing again. "It's a burner phone we can't know the owner; but I can gps track down the number."

"Really?"

"Yeap, nothing impossible for me. Ok I've found the place but I'm not sure it will be of any help."

"What do you mean?" Kate asked

"It's in the Empire State Building."

"What?! Seriously?! Do you know how many offices there're in there?" She felt upset.

"Keep your hair on! I still have resources. I might not tell you who or where exactly this person is... But his call history can help. So, he called our man and... He received and made a call to Green Haven prison."

"That's where Norris is imprisoned! I think we get our link! But why would he call him?" Kate felt a bit relieved with this new information.

"Probably to make sure that he will remain silent." Esposito answered.

"So he's afraid of him?"

"The guy has been in there for a long time now. And you've seen the man he's not really of the courageous type. I don't think he'll hold out a very long time there."

"Then, we'll give him an opportunity to get out."

"There's a call to Maddox after this one." Esposito observed.

"And Maddox made a call to the prison too after." Castel's friend added. They looked at him surprised. "That's the owner of the phone you gave me, no?"

"Yes." Kate answered. She turned to Esposito. "You think..." She started then stopped to turn back to Castle's friend. "Why didn't you tell us that earlier?"

"Well, you didn't give me time for that and I had to track it. It's a burner phone. But I've traced it in Green Haven."

"Ok" She said still looking at him. Then to Esposito. "Do you think he put a contract on Norris?"

"For sure Maddox knows people there!"

"We must go to the prison right know. We should be able to stop this."

At the prison chaos and confusion reigned. It was time for the daily walk but the guards were hastily getting the prisoners into their cells.

"What's going on in here?" Kate asked.

"Two prisoners are fighting in the courtyard" a guard answered. "You should not stay here."

"Espo come."

They went down a stair where prisoners were coming up from the courtyard. There, Esposito intervened just in time to stop another prisoner from killing Norris. He handed him firmly to a guard. "Take good care of him. We'll need to talk to him later." The guard was going away when Esposito called him back. "Yo man put him into isolation; I don't want him to talk to anybody."

"What are you doing here?" Jordan panted. "They're going to kill me if they think I talked to you."

"Are you kidding?" Kate asked. "They just tried! And nothing will prevent them from trying again. You know that."

"I, I just asked them to do something so that the sentence will be reduced. I can't stay here for twenty years!"

"We already know who they are Jordan."

He looked at them unbelieving.

"How do you think we get just in time to save you? We only need more evidence. If you help us we can help you too."

"How?"

"If you tell us who's behind this we can reduce the charges. And when we get this man you won't have this sword of Damocles above your head anymore. We've already asked for you to be transferred just after this interrogation. You'll be put into isolation for a while, for your protection until all is settled."

Jordan looked everywhere, expecting someone to come.

"Nobody knows we are here. I can assure you. You can talk freely."

"Ok, ok, I went to someone I worked for once, before working for Mayor Weldon. I had financial problems and I thought he could help, he had before. He had not asked for anything then. But this time he asked me to do that, you know."

"Give us his name Jordan!"

"It's William Wright."

"Who?"

"William Wright, a lawyer."

"Are you trying to fool us Norris? We just saved your life, shall I remind you?!"

"No, no I don't I can assure you. His office is in Empire state building."

Kate looked at Esposito. Then to Jordan:

"Ok. For your own good don't talk to anybody from now on. Give us the exact location of this lawyer's office."

Esposito drove them to the Empire state building. Kate next to him did not talk, she looked annoyed.

"So Anderson has a middleman." she said in a low voice. "This case is becoming really too messy for me Javi. I don't think I can do it. How many middlemen are we going to find before getting to Anderson".

"Don't be disheartened Beckett. I'm sure we'll catch him... You know what?"

"What?"

"I think you miss Castle." He was pulling her leg to try to cheer her up.

She smiled:

"That's true I'd like him to be here with me. Not that I don't appreciate your company Javi."

"Don't worry I understand. Did you get any news?"

"I got a call from Martha. He's recovering well. But I'd like to tell him that we've closed this case next time I see him."

"We will Beckett."

Kate phone rang.

"Kate... I was thinking..."

"Rick! I thought you were supposed to rest" She exclaimed with a tender voice.

"I'm happy to hear you too!"

She started to giggle and abruptly stopped when seeing that Esposito was looking at her, a smile on his face. "I'm happy to hear you." She answered to Rick. "How you doing?"

"I'm fine but you know me. I can't stay without doing anything. So I was thinking; Costas and Maddox were in the army together, right?"

"Yes"

"We don't know Maddox real name but we can probably go through Costas' service file and find something?"

"You really can't just stay there and rest, don't you?"

"No I can't"

"Ok Espo and I will deal with that. But rest! I'll see you as soon as we've finished."

"I hope it won't last the whole day. I miss you Kate."

She hesitated then answered. "Me too."

"You too what?"

"Stop teasing me." Then lower. "I miss you too."

"I love you. Be careful. "

"Ok." She hang up smiling.

"He's ok?" Esposito asked.

"Yes. He was telling me about a new lead he thought about. I'll need you for that."

Once at Wright's office, Kate knocked at the door with a calmness that did not reflect her mood at all. Esposito, puzzled, briefly looked at her. When the lawyer opened and saw Beckett he gave a slight start of surprise. But he quickly regained his composure. "How may help you?" His smile was tensed though. Kate was not taken in by his behaviour she could still perceive his embarrassment.

"Come on Wright, are you surprised? You thought I was dead, do you? Cut the crap! You know who I am."

The lawyer's face hardened. "Well Detective Beckett it seems you finally got where you wanted to. So what now? There's nothing you can do against me or my employer."

"We already know who your boss is. It's Deputy Anderson."

The guy startled again. "If you're here it's because you have no evidence."

"But we will. You know that. We've already gotten to you. We got to all those involved with him. You know that too. So either you talk now or you'll be the only one to fall for all that".

"He'll get me out."

"He won't. He'll let you pay for him instead, just like he did with Jordan. By the way, Jordan cut a deal and all the evidence lead to you. We have enough to charge you."

Kate turned to Esposito. "Apparently he won't talk now. We already have Jordan's deposition. We bring this one to the interrogation room until he decides to talk. Like that he won't be able to warn Anderson either. We have another lead to follow."

They all went to the City hall. "Espo, do you know anybody who can help us get access to Costas' service file?"

"Yeah I think I know who can help us. I call him now and he'll mail it to us."

"Great! I'll get us some coffee and something to eat in the meantime."

Kate came back some minute later. "You have something already?"

"You arrived on time. The mail just arrived."

"Ok. Let's get a look at that." She put the cups of coffee and the two hot-dogs on an adjacent table, completely disregarded by both of them.

"Yo Beckett. Look here, we have a list of the members of Costas' unit. Here's Maddox, see? And his real name."

"And can we get into his file too?"

"Wait. I'm sending the request. Can I have this coffee and the hot dog now?"

"Sure. Here." They took the time to eat. But it seems like neither the coffee nor the food had real taste. It was just a matter of saying they had eaten.

"Ok. This is it." Esposito put the empty cup of coffee and the hot-dog wrap in a bin under the desk.

"So Maddox was in the army with Wright, under his orders. And so was Lockwood. And..." Kate stopped surprised. "And Coonan?! What the hell...? They were all part of the same unit? But what do Anderson has to do with all of them? I don't understand."

"Yo Beckett, look. Twenty years ago they had been involved in arms trafficking while still in the army. Anderson was in charge of the investigation. But the war ended just after the investigation started, they were demobilized and never bothered. Anderson probably buried the case and blackmailed them into working for him."

"And I guess he did the same with Montgomery and his colleagues. He takes advantage of his position to make exposed people work for him. As he holds serious things against them he knows they'll never protest or denounce him. I wonder how big his little personal network is and how many people will be ready to testify against him in order not to be his puppet anymore."

"It seems like we'll have a lot to go. But let's start with what we have I think it's quite enough to charge him. It's only the beginning Beckett. The dominoes will fall in reverse now."

"You've probably heard of this case of embezzlements of funds I was involved in." Mayor Weldon's voice was coming out of the tv set of the 12th precinct. "It has been proved that it was a conspiracy to compromise me. I've been cleared. All the evidence of this conspiracy led to Deputy Anderson who also has been proved to be involved in murders. This case though many months old had been able to be closed thanks to the good work of our New York detectives...

Everybody stood there watching and listening. Even if he did not name one of theirs personally or even the 12th, they were proud. It was a big case that had been resolved. With some chance since the Mayor was involved they might have some new funding. As two cops were leading Wright into custody he stopped by Kate and murmured to her in a threatening tone. "Don't think this is finished. Some people will never accept to fall with Anderson. Mark my words it's not finished!" The cops had to drag him away.

Kate shook her head. This man was just desperate and was trying to frighten her. She took her coat and put it on, she was in a hurry to leave and see how Rick was doing.

"Hey detective Beckett!"

"Hey Ryan!"

"So how did you catch him?"

"We only had to cross-checked the information. The witnesses in the sex operator recognized Cole Maddox from the picture we showed them. He was the one who had broken into her house and the place she worked in. Wright was part of the same unit in the army as Maddox, Coonan, Lockwood. They were all involved in arms trafficking during their service. Anderson as former member of C.I.D. got wind of it and impelled them to become hit men for his personal use."

"You did a great job Espo and you. I could have helped you know."

"Yes I know. I don't want you to feel sideline. It's just that we had special assignments."

Ryan stayed there not talking for a while. He seemed so embarrassed.

"Listen Beckett, I'm really sorry…."

"For what?"

"For involving Gates in all this, I really could not do otherwise."

"It's ok Ryan. I don't begrudge you that. After all you saved my live! And I didn't even get the time to properly thank you for that!" She hugged him. "Thanks! Really." That's when she saw Castle coming in. "Castle!" She murmured.

Ryan looked at her worrying.

"No he's really there this time Ryan." She turned him around by the shoulder.

"Hey Castle." Ryan called.

He left to meet Castle who was looking at Kate from afar. The latter shrugged with a smile on her face.

"I can't believe you forgive him so easily." Esposito who had met her said.

"Javi you'll have to learn how to work with Kevin again."

"He was my partner. I'm supposed to trust him in any circumstances."

"It's not always that easy. Everybody makes mistakes; that doesn't mean you can't trust anymore. Sometimes we think we do what is best." She looked at Castle standing next to the board talking to Ryan. "And he saved my life Javi, just for that I can't hold anything against him."

"He could have come alone and not bring Gates with him."

"I think he thought he was doing for the best in case he needed back up. Anyway you're both part of the same team and it's an order."

"Ok boss!"

Castle was only thinking about one thing; to be with Kate. But he made some great efforts to stay there and talk with Ryan. He did not want him to feel rejected after what had happened.

"I heard you saved Beckett's life on this roof. It's good to know that she can count on everybody in the team when needed."

"Where were you? She thought you were there with me. She was calling you."

"She was?" He looked at Kate talking with Esposito. "You know things had been complicated between Beckett and me."

"More than usual apparently. Each time I think things are getting better with you two; it seems something else comes up."

"I think I can say that from now on things will be better." He Looked again at Kate.

"You talked? Everything's settled?"

"Yeah."

"Good. It was high time. With things chaotic between Espo and me it's good to know the rest of the team's back together."

"I'm sure things won't stay long like that between Espo and you."

"I tried to talk to him and explain you know."

"Give it time. Let him come to you. I'm sure things will be soon as before. Excuse me Ryan I have to go..."

He suddenly left to meet Kate. He strode across the distance that separated them.

"Hey!" He knew emotion could be heard in his voice. But he could not restrain it and he did not care either. They had been separated for too long just after they had spent their first night together. That had been kind of frustrating.

"Hey!... I missed you." She could feel his emotion and that was not making things easy with her own. Her voice was trembling a bit though she tried her best to keep control. She bit her lower lip.

"I missed you too." This thing she was doing with her lip was not helping him. No it was really not helping. And those eyes, those eyes. They've always been so expressive. He was sure she had never realized how much.

"Do you feel better?"

"Much better, now that I'm with you." She beamed at him hearing those words.

They were getting closer to each other, almost touching. Kate lifted her hand and was about to stroke his cheek. Espo passed by them.

"Gates, Gates, Gates."

They startled and suddenly get apart.

"Espo! We didn't hear you coming." Kate blushed.

" I noticed."

"Detective Beckett, can I see you in my office?!" Captain Gates did not stop and went straight into her office.

"Do you think..." Castle started

"I don't think so but I'll know right away."

When Kate entered the office, Mayor Weldon was there. She had not seen him arrive in the precinct.

The Mayor turned to Gates:

"Of course it's impossible to keep detectives Beckett and Esposito on administrative leave, considering the success in their investigation. We'll talk about another way to sanction them though. Sorry it was the deal." He added to Kate.

"Actually I've already found something." Gates said. "Detective Beckett, you will be the instructor of two new officers. I hope going back to the basics will help you remember them the next time you would want to disobey a superior."

"Well. I leave you deal with this together." The Mayor headed for the door and he looked amused as his eyes met Kate's.

"Sir, I don't know. I already have a full team. I don't know if I can take care of more people."

"I understand that your hands are already full with Mr Castle." Kate looked at her wondering, but she realized that Gates didn't know anything and showed some relief. "It was this or the administrative leave. Furthermore Detective Esposito is supposed to help you."

"Yes sir."

The two young officers entered the room.

"Detective Beckett, this is Officers Bonnie Ryler and Clyde Kent."

Kate sigh, then said: "Come I'll introduce you to the rest of the team."

Castle was standing, next to her desk with Ryan and Esposito. Coming out the office, she shook her head to show him that Gates did not know.

"Guys, let me introduce you to Officers Bonnie Ryler and Clyde Kent. They're new members to the team. We'll train them for the work on the field.

"Beckett!" Esposito and Ryan exclaimed at the same time.

"Orders from the Captain!"

"What?! Their names are Bonnie and Clyde?" Castle asked.

"No it's officer Ryler and Kent."

"Do you sometimes wear glasses?" Castle asked to Clyde Kent

"No. Why?"

"No, no, just like that."

"But you, you do sing?" He turned to Bonnie.

"No."

"Castle, please." Kate said.

"Ok, ok." Castle raised his hands.

"Well, it's great to feel so welcomed in a new team." Office Kent muttered as he left with Ryler.

"What about a drink at the old hunt to celebrate?" Ryan suggested.

"Sorry Ryan." Kate said. "It's been a long day. But tomorrow perhaps?"

"Sure."

"Still have paper work." Espo answered and left.

"Sorry." Castle said shaking his head.

"Ryan! Some help won't hurt." Espo yelled.

"Coming!" He smile to Castle and Kate then left.

Kate watched Ryan leave shaking her head and smiling. Then she turned towards Castle. "Let's go."

They headed to the elevator. Once the door closed, Kate get closer to Castle, took his chin between her fingers and kissed him on the lips. Castle put his forehead on hers.

"Hmmmmm! Kinky!" He murmured

"Shhhh! Kiss me." She whispered. After he kissed her back, she kept her face close to his. "Did you get enough rest today?"

"Think so."

"What did the doctor tell you? Is there any contraindication to physical exercise?"

"No." Rick breathed as his heart beat faster.

**Coming next: 503 (kinda) : Kevin**


End file.
